Question about purchasing aquamarine jewelry

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joseybird

joseybird

O.G.
Nov 11, 2012
356
139
#1
I bought a gold aquamarine ring a while back, as aquamarine is my birthstone and I love the gentle blue color the stone is known for, but when I recieced the ring (ordered online) I noticed that the stone was an extremely faint blue. I did a bit of research, and it seems like most aquamarines are very pale, and that naturally saturated blue aquamarines are quite rare (so much so that most saturated blue aquamarines for sale are "enhanced").

If I wanted to purchase a natural saturated blue aquamarine, either loose or set, how would I go about finding one? I love Tiffany's Soleste aqusmarine jewelry, but one of the company's booklets says they enhance most of their colored stones, including aquamarines. If I'm going to save up a lot of money for aquamarine jewelry, I'd rather it be unenhanced.

Thoughts? Thanks! :)
 
#2
I've had conversations with jewellers, over the years, and they tell me that most jewellers sell gems that have been enhanced in some way - and that they don't particularly mind if they are because most customers simply want a colour they can 'see' - and natural stones don't always fall into that category.
High end jewellers might or might not use enhanced stones, you rely on honesty, i'm a sceptical person and honesty is hard to find.

The way to purchase what you might be looking for would be to approach a jeweller that either sources the stones themself, or that deals with someone, they know personally, that does.

There are a large number of gem specialists that source and set stones in south east asia, and that would be a good place to start some research.

The jewellery business is rife with sellers of average jewellery, and with jewellers that actually have very little knowledge of the source of their stones.
 
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